Morning journal and courier., 1887-06-08
PROFITABLE BEGGING.
One New Yorker Makes it Yield Him an Income of Ten Thousand DOIle rs

Year.
 From the Savar1eh News
 In one of the handsomest flats in New York resides man who is a professional beggar.' By following this occupation he hes an income of ten thousand dollars per year. He goes into good society and is one of the greatest wits and practicel jokers in town, so that his company is much sought efter. He does not go proving about the streets, however, begging quarter or what ever he can get. He would disdain to accept less than one hundre dollars, still he mann : ges to collect ffty thousand dollars every year. He used to be drummer for one of the largest d1y goods houses here, and an ex- cellent one he was too, but he found he could make more money begging. He never asks money from anyone but rich people; and I believe if any other kind of people were to offer him money he would refuse it. He does not, however, beg directly for himself, but for tie New York Children's Home. The Lead of the d1y goods firm with which he was formerly engaged is the president of this institutions; and knowing that his sales man was noted fer his cheek, he asked him one day du1.ng dull seeson if he would circulate among the millionaires and get up subscriptions for the maintenance of the in- stitution. He as-eed, and the first day he started out he collected more than it was ex- pected he could do ta week. The result we3 that he WIS offered certain percentage of what he collected. end he found that it would pay him to keep it all the time
 He says at fist it wes very tying work, but ROW he has it so systematized that on the whole he rather Fixes the business, a3ide from what money there IS n 1t. My expe- 1.ence," he said 'shows me that the average New York millionaire is a much more liberal man than the public supposes. The only difficulty is n seeing these men and pre- senting your claims. I worked six months before I we3 able to zee Jay Gould. During that time went to his office on an ave- age Of twice day, and my effo1ss were in vain.
 ''Finally I caught him on an elevated train, and seating myself beside him he was obliged to listen to me. I askel for five hundred dollars. He told me to call on him the next day and he would give me his check for the amount. I went to his office, but notwithstanding I stated what had passed between the millionaire and myself, was re- fused admittance to his private room. l then made up my mind that MT. Gould had thrown me off, but I was determined to watch him again. I found out where he kept his private bank account anI got check on that institution, which I filled out for five hundred dollars. A month sfter- ward ran across MT. Gould again in the ' but recalled our conversation, and he again told me to call at his office, but replied by presenting him the check and telling him 1t would not take him a moment to put hls sig nature to it, and he did. Since then MT. Gould has every year renewed his subscrip- tion without any difficulty, and I really be- lieve it gives him pleasure to do so. Since then have got to know him, and the pubic would be surprised if it knew the amount he gives away each year in charity in this unos- tentatious manner.
 1T had still greater difficulty in securing subscription from the late William H. Van derbilt I knew very well that if could talk with Mr. Vanderbilt there would be no trouble about getting him to give me sub- scription, and after innumerahle calls upon him without success, I discovered that he was in the habit of having his tailor send man to measure him at his house for suit of clothes. I went one night to his mansion and represented myself as tailor, and in this way was ushered into MT. Vanderbilt's presence. After exchanging greetings said:
 'FfMr. Vanderbilt, in order to get to see you I have lied: but have done it in behalf of cha1.ty Instead of coming and measur- ing you for suit of clothes I have come to measure your generosity in behalf of most worthy institution
 ssThe millionaire was vely angry at first and started to call his valet and have him show me the door, but I impeded his exit and kept on talking, and before got through had Mr. Vanderbilt's check for a neat sum,